Snow, wind and ice on way as Fionn is set to batter country

Around 3cm of snow is set to fall in the Dublin mountains, with similar blankets across Leinster, after wind and ice warnings were put in place.

Forecasters said Storm Fionn will continue to hold Ireland in an Arctic grip, with winds of up to 110kph and temperatures not expected to go above 4C.

Met Eireann has issued a status orange wind warning across the country and a status yellow wind warning for Leinster.

A yellow snow and ice warning was also expected to stay in place until this morning.

"In Dublin, we will see a few showers and winds will be strong but will become moderate, reaching the city by early evening," a Met Eireann spokesman said.

"South-westerly winds will increase from strong to very strong today and some heavy rain will possibly lead to sleet."

While some parts of Leinster may have woken up to snow, rain and sleet will be more widespread.

Coastal areas remain at risk of flooding due to high winds, Met Eireann warned.

A combination of high winds and snowfall created blizzard-like conditions for drivers last night.

Social media users shared winter wonderland images of snowy streets and hillsides across Wicklow and the Dublin mountains.

The potential for more snow across the country will continue into the week. A number of rural schools have closed early due to the wintry conditions.

Traffic battles through Storm Fionn on the M7 in Co Kildare

Galway City Council said it was planning to close an area of Salthill Promenade for the high tide this morning as a measure against possible flooding.

The road between Seapoint and Grattan Park in the city was closed to traffic last night ahead of the high tide.

Residents and business owners were advised of the weather alerts.

Vigilant

However, it was thought unlikely that any serious flooding would take place.

Local authorities urged residents and business owners to remain vigilant should conditions in coastal areas deteriorate.

"We have wind warnings in place for Storm Fionn across coastal areas," a Met Eireann spokesman said. "We are expecting winds of up to 110kph, but the strongest gusts will be experienced along the Atlantic seaboard."

Cork, Clare and Donegal were among the counties worst affected by the high winds last night.

The UK received the brunt of the storm, with Scotland and Northern Ireland the worst affected.

The ambulance service north of the border was called to 15 crashes yesterday as snow and strong winds hit, with a number of schools closing.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) in the Republic urged road users to exercise caution and said drivers needed to slow down and increase stopping distances due to the risk of black ice.